Day Trip to Belgium
On June 8, sixty five years after flying innumerable missions
over Europe with Fighter, Coastal and Bomber Commands Jack Toombs
(236 Squadron in the Battle) finally set foot on continental
Europe. His visit was another consequence of the invention of
the internet, here's how it came about.
The Monument website shows the names of the Battle of Britain
aircrew of all nationalities that will be commemorated and this
has attracted much correspondence and discussion. Some weeks
ago we were contacted by the family of Arthur Albert Leopold
van Waeyenberghe, a Belgian pilot with 236 Squadron in the Battle.
His name was incorrectly spelled on the list and we rapidly put
this right. Further exchanges ensued as the family in Belgium
had heard nothing from Arthur following his escape to England
in June 1940. He was killed in 1941 and after the war his personal
effects were returned to the family.
We had often heard Jack mention that he was van Waeyenberghe's
gunner on all his Battle missions and communicated this to the
family. They were overjoyed as they immediately recognised the
name Toombs as it appeared in Arthur's logbook so many times.
So keen were they to have first-hand information on Arthur's
time in England that the next step was to arrange a visit by
Jack. Society Chairman Gerry Burke rose at 2am on the 8th to
collect Jack and RV'd with me at 5am, the three of us headed
for Folkestone and Eurotunnel. Incredibly this was Jack's first
non-flying trip across the Channel. From Calais we headed North
to the town of Wenduine, past Ostend, where the family owned
a café/bar. Before Jack has exited the car the extended
family had issued forth and greeted him as a long-lost friend,
this would set the tone for our visit with overwhelming hospitality
and friendliness. Our hosts all spoke English except for Arthur's
brother Ghisleen and as the day drew on even he dredged up long
forgotten phrases from his time as a mascot of a Royal Engineers
tank repair workshop set up near his home in 1944.
The family had been sent a report of the investigation into
Arthur's loss, he was flying from Aldergrove in Northern Ireland
in a two-Blenheim formation in very poor visibility. No radio
transmission was made, the flight just disappeared with no wreckage
found on land or sea, the conclusion was a mid-air collision
over the sea between the two aircraft. Arthur is of course remembered
on the Runnymede Memorial but following Belgian practice has
a "memorial grave" at the Air Force plot in Brussels
Town Cemetery.
Ghisleen is an official of the Belgian equivalent of the British
Legion and had obtained clearance to present Jack with a medal
issued to returning veterans to commemorate the Liberation. Jack
was visibly moved, this enhanced by Ghisleen's resemblance to
his older brother. To our intense embarrassment Gerry and myself
were also presented with a similar boxed token of the Liberation.
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click on images to enlarge
Jack after his medal award, pictured with
Arthur's younger brother Ghisleen
Jack flanked by Ghisleen and Arthur's ,sister
Christine in the family owned Cafe/Bar
From the personal effects returned after the
war, a sketch of Arthur, signed "George Belford (?)1940"
After an excellent lunch of local specialities we issued forth
for our return journey, laden with gifts of locally produced
beer. We cannot thank Hugo, Annemie, Ghisleen, Christine and
the many other family members enough for making us so welcome,
it was obvious that they had also gained much satisfaction from
meeting a friend of Arthur.
(Sadly Jack Toombs passed away on 11th December 2006)
Edward McManus
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